Testing the Limits of Welfare State Changes: The Slow‐moving Immigration Policy Reform in Japan. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Ito
• Is Part Of: Social policy & administration. Volume 50:Number 2(2016:Apr.)
• Page Start: 278
• Page End: 295
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: Policy change -- Immigration -- Immigration policy -- Japan -- Asia -- Care -- Women -- Family -- Demography -- Ethnic homogeneity -- Nationhood; Social policy -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Periodicals; 361.6105
• DOI: 10.1111/spol.12215
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-5596

Abstract

Abstract: In the 1990s, the Japanese government made transformative policy change by significantly expanding social care, thereby contradicting the core of the country's familialistic welfare principle of non‐state intervention in the family. Remarkably, social care expansions were widely accepted by the public as necessary, if not welcome, changes to deal with low fertility and an ageing society. Japanese people seemed to have no problem accepting that the rapid demographic ageing and the 'modernization' of the family necessitated outsourcing childcare and elder care. As the supply of native‐born care workers continued to shrink, the Japanese government began turning to foreign care workers. Unlike the case of social care expansion, however, immigration policy changes are proving difficult. Despite ample motivations, opportunities, and positive political mobilization, policy reforms have been slow and are far from achieving their goals. Most Japanese citizens are highly ambivalent about opening up the country to immigration, and the idea of immigration and multicultural societies remains disconnected from that of a shared national identity premised on ethnic and cultural homogeneity. This article shows the importance of public sentiments and national collective imaginary in policy change.